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President Rodrigo Duterte will visit China, the first by a chief executive in five years and since a dispute over contested areas in the South China Sea cropped up, sources from the foreign affairs department told Daily Manila Shimbun Thursday.

Duterte’s visit to Beijing is on October 19 to 20 followed by a trip to Japan on October 25 to 27, sources said.

Before his visit to East Asian countries, Duterte will leave for a working visit to Vietnam on September 28 to 29.

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said the South China Sea issue would be discussed during Duterte's bilateral meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart. Vietnam is also engaged in a territorial row with China, like the Philippines.

The Philippines and China's relations were strained during the previous administration due to the territorial dispute in the South China Sea.

In 2013, the Aquino administration filed an arbitration case against China's nine-dash line, which was later decided as invalid by the Permanent Court of Arbitration despite China's insistence not to participate in the proceedings.

In his speech in Misamis Oriental, Duterte said he would be willing to visit China often.

"You will see me more often in China," he said.

He said when he visits China he would tell the government to "give us back our fishing rights," referring to the Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground of the Filipinos located near Zambales province and is now being patrolled by Chinese coast guards.

As for the Japan trip, a source said Manila and Tokyo were still finalizing if Duterte's foreign trip would be a state or working visit.

"At least from the economic side, we can see pushing for greater trade activities (with Japan)," said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez when asked of the President's agenda when he visits Japan.

"The upcoming visit will further strengthen (the cooperation of the two countries)," he said, noting the Philippines is enjoying a huge trade surplus with Japan.

He said the country's estimated trade with Japan amounted to about $18 billion, with $12 billion exports and $16 billion imports, or a trade surplus of about $6 billion.

"They (Japan) buy a lot of products from us," Lopez added.

He noted the Philippine trade with Japan significantly increased because of the Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement signed during the Arroyo government.

Duterte, during his bilateral talk with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Summits in Laos, accepted an invitation for him to visit Japan.

Lopez earlier said his office was planning to embark on a roadshow to Japan. Celerina Monte